David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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42. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development her Department’s plans, if any, to support the establishment and continued work of community councils across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26446/24]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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This question concerns the establishment and work of community councils throughout the country. I am sure the Minister of State will agree that these are a very valuable and important resource, which are very often administered under the umbrella of Muintir na Tíre. What are his plans to support the establishment and continue the work of these bodies, especially if they are democratically established and run? The training for people to get involved in these councils is part of that.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy for his question relating to plans to support the establishment and continued support of community councils throughout the country. A number of community council groups are established across the country. My Department has provided support to these organisations under a number of schemes. A range of other community development entities are also in place right across the country. All such groups can apply for funding from a range of schemes operated by my Department.

I also note the importance of the structures that are in place to ensure local engagement in community development. The local community development committees were established with the objective of putting people and communities at the centre of delivery at local government level. A key function of the LCDCs is to prepare the community elements of the six-year local economic and community plans. The LECPs also outline how each local authority plan can foster community involvement in policy development and decision-making processes at local level.

Public participation networks, PPNs, provide another layer of community participation in local community development by building a network of community, voluntary, social inclusion and environmental groups to inform local government policy and priorities. I am aware that a number of PPNs have community council groups as members, which ensures their voice is heard as regards community development priorities.

On the issue of funding, community council groups have obtained funding from schemes such as LEADER, CLÁR, the community centre investment fund and the community recognition fund. I also note that the various iterations of the community enhancement programme have provided funding opportunities at local level to groups such as community councils. I encourage all community groups to regularly engage with their PPN, their LCDC and our website, which details available funding options, to ensure they are aware of all opportunities.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. Does he agree that there does not seem to be a clear policy with respect to community councils at, dare I say it, parish level? We are talking about LCDCs, which are at the level of the county or municipal district. Does he agree that we need to start drilling down to more localised bodies and looking at supporting those?

Does he have any idea of whether there are areas in the country where there is no community involvement, movement or organisation at all? Does he agree that these communities are suffering because of it, or are at least not benefiting from the advantages of having a community council in place? When such councils are active and working properly, they are of great benefit at a very local level. In the Minister of State's response, he spoke about high-level groups but I am talking about really drilling down to the parish level and supporting the establishment and work of these groups in light of the benefits that can accrue. If they are registered as companies, they can draw down funding themselves and put things like playgrounds, local community halls and so on in place. Do we need to be more focused?

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I take the Deputy's point on the position of the LCDCs. They are at a fairly high level. I will take the opportunity to again encourage small groups to join the local PPN because, when they are in there, they have a pass into what the local authority has available. I refer to staff and training but also the grants I mentioned with which we support them. I will also mention the volunteer centres. I mention them because they very often pair people with people who want to volunteer with a local group, particularly at board level. Volunteer centres have a bank of expertise and are very happy to link people with small local groups. I take the Deputy's point that there are likely to be pockets around the country where there is no self-organising group. We operate on the basis of letting people take the initiative. If people have come together and taken some initiative, we are in a position to support them. In my follow-up, I will tell the Deputy a little bit more about what we are doing where that has not happened.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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It may very well be that the very areas the Minister of State has mentioned are those that need the most support. If small local groups are already established, they are well on their way to drawing down grants, supports and so on. Does he agree that where there is nothing at all and where there is no local initiative, we need to put a structure in place whereby somebody goes into an area to encourage and support the proper democratic establishment of, for example, a community council at a very small local level? The benefits of such councils are massive. On top of that, some of the community councils in place are struggling to get people to take part and do the work, especially after the Covid pandemic. Will the Minister of State consider carrying out a national audit of parishes and areas to see where there are what he has called black spots, areas that do not have these structures, with a view to encouraging the local LCDC or another body to set them up?

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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In many respects, we have done what the Deputy is describing, albeit in a different way. The audit we have done is based on the CSO's small area population data. This is at the level of a large estate or a couple of hundred houses. We have based our audit not on what groups are in the area, but on socioeconomic deprivation. Two years ago, I launched the empowering communities programme. That targeted 14 of the most deprived areas across the country and placed a community worker in them, partly with a view to helping the community to organise itself. I hope to add two more to that list in the coming weeks. With regard to what we do in the Department, that is the closest we have got. I would like to expand that. There are many areas of deprivation around the country that do not self-organise and need a bit of support. Of the tools we have in the Department, that is the most relevant to the issue the Deputy has raised.